Choices
by Numb3rsfan
Summary: Choices have been made which will change the Duke family forever.
1. Chapter 1

**Present Day Hazzard County (year 2010)**

Lukas Duke slowly walked across the ground as he headed for a sight that he wished he would never had to see again. It had been 24 years since he had been back here to this spot and even that amount of time didn't seem long enough for Luke.

Sighing to contain his emotions, 60 year old Lukas K Duke knelt down next to an old, slightly moss covered headstone that was beside the now dead oak tree that stood in the middle of the yard.

Reaching out a hand Luke brushed some of the moss away so he could read the inscription on the stone.

**'Here lies Bo Duke, beloved nephew and cousin. May his soul rest in peace'**

Below those words were the date of Bo's birth and the date of his death.

February 10, 1985.

Glancing away from the grave Luke took in the dead sight around him.

He was kneeling on what was left of the Duke farm property, which was now in a sorry shape of disrepair.

To his left and behind his shoulder stood the old house with half of it's roof caved in thanks to the weather and the lack of care. The windows were also cracked and the front door was hanging by one hinge.

To his right and in front of him stood the old barn. It looked about the same except for the fact that all of the wood was now rotten and it looked like a strong gust of wind could take it down.

"Dad...what's so special about this place...there's no one here?"

Lukas smiled slightly before turning to face his twelve year old boy Jesse who was standing behind him.

Luke's wife Crystal was standing by their car which was a Dodge charger but looked nothing like the 69 model of old.

"This is where I grew up, son. This was my home." Luke said as he finally stood up and beckoned Jesse over.

"Here? It's a dump!" Jesse exclaimed as he joined his father and the gravesite.

"It didn't use to be. But after what happened I guess Uncle Jesse just let it go." Luke surmised.

Hearing his name, Jesse looked up at his father with curiosity shining in his eyes.

"Who's uncle Jesse?" Jesse asked.

Hearing that question, all of the emotions that he had tried to bury for so long came to the surface and nearly came out, but Luke managed to bite them back as he led his son to a small bench which was the only thing that looked unchanged by the years.

As one the two Duke's sat down, the younger looking at his father, knowing that there was a long story ahead of him.

"Jesse was my uncle...he took me and my cousin's Bo and Daisy in when all of our parents died." Luke began.

"How'd they die?" Jesse asked.

Luke shook his head for a second before replying, "I dunno, I was just a baby when it happened. Uncle Jesse said they died in a car crash that I had been lucky to survive myself."

He glanced at his son for a second, seeing young Jesse try to imagine his father never really knowing his parents at all!

"Besides being our uncle, he was also a moonshiner...a moonshiner is..." Luke began, but Jesse interrupted him by saying, "I know what a moonshiner is dad."

"Well me and Bo used to help him make runs, but one day we were caught. We both had been sentenced to 2 years in prison, but Uncle Jesse made a deal with the government that if me and Bo got probation, then he would never make or run a single drop of whiskey again." Luke said.

"Did he keep that promise?" Jesse asked.

"For the most part yeah, except for one time...and he kept a jar of moonshine hidden for medicinal needs." Luke said.

"Huh, so this place has some history." Jesse said as he took his first real glance at the old house.

"Yep, it sure has." Luke agreed.

"What's that?"

Luke glanced at where he son was looking just in time to see a faint orange glint before Jesse got up and ran towards the barn.

Following his son, Luke managed to keep up with the young boy as he entered the barn.

The barn sure was in bad shape but looked stable enough, but Luke and his son were now more interested in what was under this huge, dust covered tarp that was in the middle of the hay covered floor of the barn.

Gripping an edge Jesse flung with all his might and the tarp flew back just enough to reveal a portion of the driver's side door.

The familiar 01 on the door sent chills down Luke's spine as Jesse dragged the last of the tarp off.

"Wow....cool car!" He exclaimed.

Going to the driver's side he grasped the door handle and tried to open it but the doors wouldn't budge an inch.

"Let me guess...sealed doors huh? Wonder who's bright idea that was?" Jesse said, looking back at his father who still hadn't taken his eyes off of the old car.

Shaking his head, Jesse grasped the top of the window frame on the driver's side door and managed to hoist himself up and in to the old car.

A smile came to the boy's face as he gripped the steering wheel; feeling the wheel fit in his hands like a glove.

Putting his hand in the middle of the wheel, Jesse pushed and a sad, sick rendition of Dixie sounded, as if what was left of the General Lee's heart and soul was given just to get those few notes out, no matter that they sounded terrible.

Hearing that sound jarred Luke out of his awe struck reverie.

"Jesse, get out of the General." Luke said, motioning his son to get out of the beloved car.

"Get out of the what?" Jesse asked.

"The car is General Lee...now come on get out!" Luke said

"You named your car...that's stupid." Jesse exclaimed, not seeing his father's face at that remark.

"JESSE DUKE, GET YOUR BUTT OUT OF THAT CAR NOW!" Luke roared, putting alot more anger in to his voice thanks to his screwed up emotions.

Jesse jumped at the anger he heard and felt in his father's voice, so slowly he did ease himself out of the window and back down on to the hay covered ground just in time to see his father drop to the ground and cover his face in his hands.

Thinking his dad may have had a stroke or something, Jesse pushed aside the hurt he felt and approached Luke, only to hear him sobbing almost uncontrollably.

"Dad...what happened...tell me..." Jesse said as he knelt and put a hand on his father's shoulder.

Looking up at his son, Luke saw a genuine longing to help on his face so he quieted his crying and wiped the tears from his face.

"I've never told anyone this but Bo's death...it was my fault." Luke said.

"I don't believe that dad...you are no killer." Jesse said.

"You weren't there son...you don't know."Luke replied.

"Which is why I'd like for you to tell me what happened....please dad?" Jesse asked, sitting all the way down next to his father.

"The year was 1985...February 9. Me and Bo were driving around, racing down side streets like we normally do..." Luke began, and as he was speaking he could see it all happening in his mind's eye.

* * *

**Hazzard County-Feb 9,1985**

"Hahaha! The General hasn't run this good since he won that Derby race 2 months ago!" Bo exclaimed with a grin on his face that stretched a mile long.

"Yeah, I think we finally got everything in tune this time. Cooter's been on my case about why we didn't enter in the latest race." Luke remarked.

"Oh, Cooter can just go pound sand. The General's been needing help for awhile. Anyway, today's the first day we could actually legally leave the county..." Bo began.

Luke smirked at that remark and said, "Since when did you ever care about that?"

"Don't you get it? Yesterday marked the end of our probation! We don't have to worry about the government no more!" Bo said.

"That's right!" Luke said, nodding his head in agreement.

"Wanna go to the Boar's Nest to celebrate?" Bo asked, glancing over at his cousin with excitement gleaming in his eyes.

No more probation meant that they could leave the county, they could own guns...of course why they would want to own them...they could do anything they wanted as long as they were following the laws.

Luke glanced back over at his cousin, a big smile now covering his face as well!

"Hit it, Bo!"

"YEEHAW!" Bo exclaimed as he gunned the motor on the General.

The car raced forward, rounding several corners before the tell tale whine of a police siren told them that they weren't alone anymore.

"They never know when to give up, do they?" Bo remarked with that boyish smile of his.

"Head down to Turner's Crossing, Rosco will never be able to make that jump across." Luke suggested.

Bo looked over at his cousin in shock at that suggestion.

"Turner's Crossing? If you remember _we_ almost didn't make it last time!" Bo said.

"But we did and I'm sure we'll make it this time too!" Luke replied.

Bo looked back towards the road as he contemplated what Luke told him to do.

He knew that Luke had always protected him and wouldn't let anything bad happen to him, but Turner's Crossing?

Licking his lips slightly, Bo sighed slightly before inching the steering wheel slightly towards the right.

The General then shot off the main road and on to a dirt covered trail with Rosco following right behind.

"Punch it Bo!" Luke said as they passed the 'Bridge Out' sign.

"I am cousin...I am!" Bo replied; the nervousness very clear in his voice.

As the General Lee's tires hit the small hill that would launch them in to the air, Luke caught one last look at his cousin, the sweat was evident and to Luke it seemed as if Bo's hands that were clenched so tightly around the wheel, were shaking.

There was no rebel call as the General Lee was airborne seconds later.

The General flew gracefully as Rosco braked and managed...just barely to not go sailing in to the small inlet of water below.

He watched the General Lee, the well known car of the Duke boys fly towards the landing on the other side of the crossing, but then as it looked like they might make it, the General Lee slammed in to the dirt wall, just under the other side of the landing, before hitting the water.

Seeing that spectacle, Rosco's mouth hung open for just a second before he grabbed his CB and quickly radioed for an ambulance and a wrecker.

Since Enos had been after him to learn how to swim, Rosco had finally learned, though it had taken him a year and a half.

Taking off his hat, Rosco threw it in to his police car before he ran down to the water.

Quickly he jumped in and within one minute he had swum to the wreckage of what had once been the fastest car in Hazzard.

The car was now completly under the water, and yet bubbles were still rising to the surface, however what wasn't coming to the surface was the Duke boys, so Rosco took in a deep breath and dove beneath the surface.

Swimming to the driver's side he saw Bo's blonde hair swirling in the water.

Gently Rosco grasped Bo's shoulder's and slid him out of the car before swimming to the surface.

Rosco knew that he would have to hurry if he was to get Luke out as well, so once his head broke the surface of the water, Rosco made sure Bo's head was also above the surface as he made his way towards the shore.

Dumping Bo's body on the shore, Rosco didn't have time to see if he was breathing or not, so he dived back down and returned a minute later with Luke's body.

Thankfully in that short span of time the wrecker and ambulance had come and a paramedic was leaning over Bo, supporting him as he was weakly trying to cough up the water he had swallowed.

Getting out of the water, Rosco gently placed Luke's unmoving body on the ground before feeling for a pulse.

When there was none to be found, Rosco placed his hands together and started to do chest compressions.

He had never done CPR in his life, though he had seen it done plenty of times, so now he figured he could do it, but after two minutes of chest compressions his arms were now worn out.

Thankfully the paramedic that had been helping Bo was now standing, ready to take Rosco's place, so Rosco quickly let him.

"Not breathing and no pulse!" the one paramedic said to his partner who had just given Luke mouth to mouth.

"Come on Luke, don't you dare die on me!" Bo pleaded as tears and droplets of water ran down his face.

Nothing was happening.

Luke still wasn't choking up water and the paramedics were still trying to get a pulse, albeit unsuccessfully.

Everything seemed to be happening in slow motion for Bo. One minute, the paramedics were shaking their heads at one another, with Bo himself shouting, "NOOOOOO!"

The next minute Bo saw Luke's chest give a small heave before water started to spurt out of Luke's mouth.

A small smile appeared on Bo's face as Luke started to cough up the water with a vengeance.

That smile grew bigger when Luke's eyes dimly opened.

"Yer gonna be alright cousin. Yer gonna be alright." Bo whispered.

Within moments both of them were packaged up and shipped to Cedar Falls Hospital in Choctaw.

* * *

To Bo it seemed like an hour had passed since the crash, but in reality he knew that he had been several hours since.

Rosco had told Jesse and Daisy what had happened and had taken them to Cedar Falls, while Cooter had taken the wrecked General back to his shop to see if he could be fixed or not.

Now Bo, Jesse and Daisy were sitting in chairs, hands clasped together while Luke's doctor was talking to them matter-of-factly about what was wrong with Luke.

"It seems that Luke may have been born with a heart defect. I won't know for sure until I see all of his records, but the defect is there...and what happened today has caused his heart...in fact his whole system to start to shut down. He needs a heart transplant and soon if he's going to live through the night. I'm sorry..." The doctor said.

He rose and patted Jesse's shoulder before leaving the small waiting room, letting the Duke's alone to think about their next option.

Right now Luke had been placed on a respirator because shortly after arriving at the hospital Luke had had a seizure and lost the ability to breathe on his own.

"Uncle Jesse...Luke wouldn't want this..."Daisy whispered, tears streaming down her face.

The elder Duke looked about the same, his own face laden with tears.

"We can't just let him die uncle Jesse!" Bo exclaimed, not really believing what he was hearing!

"Bo...the odds of Luke finding a donor by tonight...it just can't happen. I want him to live as much as you do, but we both know that he wouldn't want to live like this." Daisy said, looking up at her cousin who was almost in a panicky state; running a scraped hand through his now dry hair.

"Daisy I...I can't....I won't let him die! Not now...not like this!" Bo exclaimed to the both of them.

"Bo...you need to let him go..." Uncle Jesse whispered, not even having the courage to look his nephew in the face.

"No Uncle Jesse! You two may have given up on him...but I haven't!"

With that said, Bo walked out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

He jogged outside before stopping, the tears still streaming down his face.

Glancing out he saw the sunset and thought back to just yesterday when all of them had been sitting out on the bench just watching the sun set.

"This can't be happening...not to Luke..." Bo muttered to himself as he walked a few steps one way and then turned around again.

He made this trek several times, running his hand through his hair a few times before he looked back at the hospital, an idea suddenly coming to mind.

Running back inside Bo went in search of the doctor.

It took him several minutes...more like 20 minutes before Bo was able to track the doctor down.

"I know how to save him doc!" Bo said.

The doctor turned around after hearing Bo's voice. Folding his arms, the doctor looked Bo straight in the face.

"Son, I'm open to any suggestions." He said, though in hindsight the doctor wished he hadn't of said that.

"Luke needs a heart transplant right?" Bo asked.

"That's correct." The doctor replied.

"Give him mine then. We've both been checked out by doctors in Atlanta and they've said that we'd be compatible matches." Bo said.

"Son, I don't think you understand what you are asking me to do." The doctor said with a shake of his head.

"I sure do doc. I'm askin' you to end my life to save Luke's." Bo said.

The doctor sighed, not really believing what this young man asking him to do, though what he was asking was admirable enough.

"Have you talked this over with your parents?" The doctor asked.

"My parents are dead. I live with my uncle." Bo replied.

"Have you talked this over with your uncle, then?" The doctor shot back.

Bo took a second to respond.

Slowly he shook his head no.

"Uncle Jesse and Daisy may have given up on Luke, doc. But I haven't. Shouldn't this be my choice, though?" Bo asked.

The doctor had to concede that fact to him, so the doctor nodded his head yes.

"If it's my choice then, then I choose to give Luke his chance to live. Doc...he's got so much more to do in life..." Bo began.

"So do you, young man." The doctor reminded him.

Bo smiled slightly at that remark. He looked away for a second, and as the doctor studied him, he saw tears still glistening in Bo's eyes.

"Please doc...save Luke's life. Take my heart." Bo said.

The doctor was about to refuse, but seeing Bo's face, the doctor sighed and nodded his head.

"Talk to your uncle and cousin...I'll get things ready then I'll come and get you ready." He said.

Bo smiled his thanks at the doctor before turning and heading back to the waiting room where he was sure Daisy and Uncle Jesse were.

* * *

Slowly Bo pushed the door to the waiting room open.

Looking up, Jesse and Daisy both stood up.

"Any news?" Jesse asked.

"No sir." Bo replied.

"Bo I...I'm sorry." Daisy said.

After Bo had left, she and Jesse had themselves a little conversation, and now that Bo was back, Daisy felt the need to apologize for her actions.

"No Daisy, I'm sorry. I know you both care about Luke as much as I do. I just don't want to fight with you two anymore." Stepping forward the three Dukes embraced one another, sending their apologizes in the form of friendly hugs.

"Bo...we've decided to take Luke off of life support...he wouldn't want to live this way, even if only for a day." Daisy said, knowing that this would rip Bo's heart out, but Bo didn't even start to argue.

Bo opened his mouth to say something and then closed it before he walked over to the nearest chair and sat down next to it; beckoning the two of them to sit down as well, which they did...on either side of Bo.

"Spit it out Bo...what aren't you telling us?" Jesse said softly as he placed an old, withered hand on the boy's shoulder.

"I don't really know how to say this but...I...I...I'm giving Luke my heart." Bo said.

After this there was complete silence in the room for a minute before Jesse sputtered, "you...you're..."

"Uncle Jesse, Luke has so much more to live for...he needs to complete his dream. He needs to live out his life...get married...have a family." Bo said.

"So do you Bo! What about the NASCAR circuit? That was your dream!" Daisy exclaimed.

"It was mine and Luke's dream...but not anymore Daisy. Now my only dream...my only wish is for Luke to walk out of here...alive. I'm just giving him that chance." Bo replied.

At that, Uncle Jesse rose up and stomped out of the room, madder than a wet hen.

"Uncle Jesse....please don't be...." Bo began, but the door slammed shut before he could finish his sentence.

"Daisy...take care of Uncle Jesse...I know he don't understand now...but..."Bo began.

"I know Bo...I know." Daisy said.

There was a knock on the door before it opened and there was Luke's doctor, a gurney and two orderlies waiting.

Both Daisy and Bo rose and embraced each other one last time, each remembering or trying to remember everything they could about the other.

"I love you cousin..." Daisy whispered sadly in to Bo's ear.

"I love you too..."Bo whispered back before he let her go and walked out of the room.

Smoothly he got up on the gurney and laid down before he was wheeled away

* * *

They had just reached the room where they would prep Bo for surgery when the gurney stopped and the orderlies stepped away.

Bo was wondering what was going on when he saw his uncle at the edge of his vision.

Sitting up, Bo didn't say anything as he studied Jesse's face closely; seeing the flood of tears rolling down the elder Duke's face and knowing that was his unspoken blessing for Bo's choice.

"Bo I..." Jesse began, but stopped because he barely had control of his emotions anyway.

Bo saw this and nodded, assuring his uncle that he understood.

"I'm gonna miss you...so much." Bo said as the two of them embraced for the last time...and each of them knew it.

"You take care now..." Jesse said.

Bo nodded his head at that remark. He dare not say anything because he knew if he did he would lose control of his own emotions.

So without another word spoken, Bo laid back down on the gurney.

The orderlies came back in to the room and pushed him through the doors...and that was the last time he saw his uncle or Daisy again.

* * *

**Choctaw County, Feb 10, 1985**

The sun was rising outside when Luke slowly opened his eyes.

Slowly he glanced around the room, foggily realizing that he was in a hospital bed.

Looking to his left he saw Daisy at the window, looking at the sunrise, while Uncle Jesse was asleep in the chair. Raising his eyes a little, Luke saw a bed next to his but this bed was empty.

"...u...Uncle Jesse."

Daisy whirled around in shock when she heard Luke's voice, while Jesse himself opened his eyes and sat up straight...a smile came to his face and a few tears slid down his cheeks when he saw his nephew laying there looking back at him.

"Oh Luke...I was so worried about you." Jesse said as he took hold of Luke's hand, which Luke grabbed on to and squeezed.

Daisy for her part got Luke a glass of water, complete with straw, which Luke quickly downed.

"Thanks...where's Bo? Is he here?" Luke asked.

He didn't catch the look that Jesse and Daisy gave each other for they both knew where Bo was...his body was down in the morgue...just waiting for them to come claim it and take Bo home...but they wouldn't until Luke would be released.

When no answer was forthcoming, Luke looked at Jesse's face for a second...which was all it took for Luke to know that something was wrong.

"What...? What's happened?" Luke asked.

"Bo um..." Daisy said before she shook her head and looked away.

"Bo sacrificed himself to save you, Luke." Jesse whispered.

"He did wh...no...no! B...he...he...couldn't have...he..." Luke sputtered as she shook his head back and forth, trying to understand what his uncle was trying to tell him.

Bo had given up his life to save Luke's life?

No...to Luke it was impossible for him to fathom that, but after seeing both Jesse and Daisy's faces he knew it was true...which hurt even more.

Years ago he and Bo had sworn that they would look after each other no matter what and now Luke believed he had failed in his task.

"He wanted to do this for you Luke...he said his only wish was to see you walk out of here." Daisy said softly.

As Daisy and then Uncle Jesse lightly embraced him, Luke faintly realized that he was crying, though deep down he felt sadness and a deep emptiness.

Closing his eyes Luke just went limp and allowed his uncle and cousin to hold him.

* * *

**Present Day**

"Four days later I got out'a the hospital. We then took Bo back here and buried him right there, underneath his favorite tree. Couldn't afford a headstone so Rosco and Enos somehow managed to convince Boss Hogg to pay for it."Luke said.

After Luke finished with the story, Jesse wiped the tears that were rolling down his own face before he looked out at Bo's tombstone.

"You must have loved him alot, dad. It was clear that he loved you." Jesse said.

"We were like brothers. Some brother I was." Luke muttered.

"What do you mean?" Jesse asked.

Luke looked at his son for a second before glancing at the General.

"It's my fault Bo's dead. If I hadn't suggested that we take that dang road then we wouldn't have crashed!" Luke said.

Jesse thought about what Luke had said for a minute before he replied, "Look at it this way...if you two hadn't of crashed, how much longer could you have gone on that defective heart? One minute you'd be walking along and the next minute you'd be dead...and I wouldn't be alive. So not only did Bo save your life...he saved mine too."

Luke looked back at his son again and knew without a shadow of a doubt that the boy was right, but it still didn't take the pain away.

"From what you told me, the General here was what... yours and Bo's car?" Jesse asked.

Luke nodded in reply but didn't say anything.

"Well if you want to honor your cousin's memory...let's take it with us...fix her back like she was. That way you'd have a little piece of him with you." Jesse suggested.

Luke looked from his son to the car and back before an actual smile appeared on his face...a smile so genuine, so rebel like that Jesse had never seen it before.

"Come on, help me hook her to the back of the car. You steer...I'll push." Luke said as he rose to his feet.

Jesse jumped right up as well and smoothly clamored back in to the car while Luke got behind it.

As he pushed the dust covered car out of the barn, he remembered Cooter bringing it back.

He remembered Cooter saying that it wouldn't run anymore, but he had fixed as much of the body as he could, and after that Luke and the rest of the Dukes had put it in a place of honor in the barn, and there it sat for years and years as time went by.

Hazzard County changed and the Duke farm had changed as well, with Daisy and Enos getting married in 1999, and Jessie Duke dying in 2001. But even before that Jessie had let the farm go, which was why it was in such a bad shape now.

Reaching the car, Jesse hopped out of the General and aided Luke in pushing the old car into the trailer which Luke had already hooked to the car.

Luke's job in Las Vegas was basically towing huge items so he had bought himself a trailer and out of habit he had kept it hooked up to the car.

Now he was glad that Crystal had suggested he keep it hooked up, so they would be able to take the General and get him repaired.

After a good ten minutes, Luke and Jesse hopped down off the trailer, their jobs now done.

A smile on his face, Jesse got in to his parents car and shut the door, plans of fixing up the farmhouse swirling in his mind, while Luke took one last look at the old Duke farm...his home.

In 87', Luke had taken off, not being able to stand the memories that the farm had. He had gone to Texas, and from there to Las Vegas where he had met Crystal Goodwin.

They had fallen in love, gotten married and had a son, and now in coming back to the farm, telling his story and all...Luke felt that his life was now complete...Bo had given this all to him...he had given up his own dreams so Luke could have his.

Glancing over at Bo's grave for the last time, he saw the familiar Hazzard sunset and a small smile came to his face.

"Thank you brother...for everything." He murmured.

The wind whipped through his dark hair and he could faintly hear his cousin's voice say, "Take care brother."

Luke closed his eyes for a second as he could almost feel his cousin embracing him for a second, then that feeling faded.

The feeling now gone, Luke got in to the black dodge charger and fired her up before pulling away from the farm.

He grasped Crystal's hand and squeezed it lovingly as they began their long journey home.

Now Luke believed he could be happy again, after having told his story and gotten some words of wisdom from his son.

His eyes focused on the road, Luke then decided that the past was the past and now he needed to start looking towards his future, which was right here with him...his family and that's the way it was supposed to be.

-THE END-


	2. Choices Stats

**"Choices" Stats**

Name: **"Choices"**

Author: **Numb3rsfan**

Date Written: **Jan 5, 2010**

Warnings: **Very OOC, Tissue warning.**

Rating: **T (PG-13)**

Disclaimer: **I don't own anything, this is just for the enjoyment of the reader.**

Summary: **Choices have been made which will change the Duke family forever.**

**Author's Notes:**

Don't really know why I wanted to write this, just had the idea and didn't want to let it slip away, I guess. Anyway this story is very very OOC from the regular Dukes fandom, so please keep that in mind.

Anyway, enjoy my first short story of the year!

Thanks for reading!

Numb3rsfan


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